Serendipity: a short story
by LifeofaFakePrincess
Summary: Serendipity. n. the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way


It all started with a look; a look from approximately twenty metres away.

1…

2…

3…

I guess that was all it took. It took only three seconds for the stranger on the other side of the station to remember my face, my outfit on that cold winter's day. It took only three seconds until the train I was waiting for stopped in front of me. It lasted only three seconds, but that was enough.

* * *

Blue met brown that day. On crowded platforms, blue met brown and the world stood still. Only for a little while, but it stood still.

It was the sound of a train approaching that jostled my out of my stupor.

Blocking my view of the one thing that probably meant something, the train rolled out of the platform, but nothing. No longer did blue meet brown. The world stood still, if only for a little while, but that was enough.

* * *

Should I have stayed? Should I have smiled? Maybe. But I didn't.

Like a mantra, I repeated 'No regrets' in my head over and over again. In my head, I relived those three seconds.

No, stop it. Just read the train magazine.

Seriously, no regrets.

* * *

"I'm telling you, Rick, she was something."

"She must be if she's got you in a tizzy like this. Mate, just be on the same platform, at the same time next week. You'll probably see her then."

"That's too long. No, I need a different plan. What's that magazine people read on trains? Can't I put an ad on there?"

"Are you talking about the magazine you wanted to sue because they published a photo of you looking not so hot? Yeah, mate, nice one. You would've actually sued them had I not talked you out of it."

"Rick, just shut up. You don't get it. It's going to bother me for the rest of my night, maybe even the rest of my life, if I don't do something about it."

"Argh. What do you want to do?"

"Put an ad in that magazine paper thingo. Make sure it grabs people's attention. I'll email you the things I want you to put in it. I can probably get a sketch done of her…"

"You're going to get a sketch? What did you do, photograph her? No way, mate. That's too creepy. Bordering stalker really."

"Fine. I'll just email the things that needed to be said. Pay whatever to get it there. Preferably the right side of the paper with lots of colour. She looked liked she likes colour."

"Consider it done, lover boy. Hopefully you'll never regret this."

"No regrets. Never."

* * *

Walking down the escalators to get to the platform, I scanned the station, hoping that he was there.

Nope. Should've known.

The vibration of my phone brought me back to the steps I was taking down the escalator.

"Hey, Janie. What's up?"

"I can see you walking down the escalator. You're lucky you didn't fall."

"Oh. Well, I'll see you in a little bit."

_Whooosh. _Another train goes by.

"Hey, El."

"How was work?"

"Hectic. The boss has got me started on a deal with this big company. Something about a big time CEO wanting a whole page about an ad. It's apparently a big deal because the CEO was trying to sue us a couple months back. We published it, but I haven't seen the ad yet."

"Well isn't that fun? You should go back to university, less problems."

"I went through it once, I got my degree and I'd rather not do it again."

"Ha ha. You're so funny. University was not that bad."

"That's because you convinced the parents to let you be at one of the colleges."

"Whatever. University was great. Too bad now that I have to move back in."

"Nice to know you love us."

"You know it. Anyways, here's the mag. The ad should be in there right?"

"Yup. It should be on page three."

"It is. Can you read it? It looks like it has a lot of writing and I can't be bothered taking out my glasses."

"I'll read it. And by the way, you don't wear glasses."

"Just read."

"Alright already. Here goes. 'I met someone yesterday on platform 7. I didn't exactly meet them, but I did see them. Brown eyes the colour of black tea. Auburn hair. 167cm tall. A robin blue trench coat. A red shoulder bag. And the most beautiful smile I've ever seen. I saw you and the world stopped spinning. I saw you, only you. Three seconds. That's all it took. At that platform, at that time, that was all that was needed.' El, this is so sweet. This Mr CEO has got it bad."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Why aren't you listening to me?"

"Because I think I've got it pretty bad myself."

* * *

"Do you think it worked, Rick?"

"Of course it did. I've been getting emails from the magazine's boss about people wanting to know the story about it all."

"We did publish the story."

"You asked for an answer. There's no need to be snappy."

"Sorry, Rick. What if she doesn't get it? Doesn't read it?"

"Word travels fast, especially around girls. Someone who knows her is bound to think that it's adorable and show her. Or, even better, she'd wear the same outfit and someone will tell her about it."

"I hope so."

"Me too, mate. You deserve a good woman in your life."

"And I've found her."

"Are you sure? You just saw her, for what? Five seconds? Mate, that's lust."

"It wasn't. It was something more that lust, more than love. It was a connection. When she looked up at saw me, I honestly didn't notice what she looked like. It was just…I don't know, but I know it's not lust."

"You've got it bad."

"I know."

* * *

That ad on page three of Janie's magazine appeared daily for two weeks.

It wasn't until a week after that I realised what the message in the ad meant. That is was _him_. Today, hopefully, he hasn't given up.

10 more minutes until the train I took. That means I have to run.

Up the escalators, through the gates, down some escalators and I saw him. I saw him standing, with his back turned to me, at the exact spot where I first saw him, looking out onto the platform I usually go on. But this time, I was on the other side, twenty metres away. I was on his platform.

I felt like there was a pull, a gravitational force, as I started walking towards him and once I got there just behind him, I tapped his should and slowly, ever so slowly, he turned around.

1…

2…

3…

That was all it took.


End file.
